Tove Jansson: Frescoes and Hobgoblin’s Hat

The frescoes Party in the Countryside and Party in the City will remain on display at HAM, continuing to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Moomins, and will now be joined by a unique loan from city of Pori. Arriving at the exhibition is Tove Jansson’s last monumental artwork, painted in 1984 for the Taikurinhattu kindergarten in Pori. This three-part mural depicts the Moomins adventuring through the spring, summer, and autumn landscapes of Moominvalley. The kindergarten was named after Tove Jansson’s book Taikurin hattu (which translates to Hobgoblin’s Hat). The English name for the book is Finn Family Moomintroll (known as The Happy Moomins in the US).

From the Taikurinhattu kindergarten, HAM has also received mixed-media works depicting characters from Moominvalley, Tuulikki Pietilä‘s cat-themed graphic works, and a scale model of the kindergarten and the adjacent Himmeli retirement home. All loans will return to their original locations once the kindergarten’s renovation is complete.

Through the Hobgoblin’s Hat installation, HAM encourages families with children to spend time with art. In the art huts within the exhibition space, visitors can engage with the art through touch and by experiencing the specially created soundscapes. Playing is also allowed!